The Aftermath
by Songarri0125
Summary: After losing the duel against Shadow, Sonic leaves homes and wanders into a state of pain and sorrow. That is, until, he is saved by a certain pink hedgehog from his past. Sonamy one-shot with a Shadally moment, as well as a Sonally reference.


Conitinuation from Sayonara, Sonic the Hedgehog. This acts as a prologue. I claim no ownership over Sonic characters.

The blue fur hedgehog had finally collapsed in the middle of nowhere. He would have been able to travel much farther, but he was already exhausted physical, mentally, and spiritually. After last night, when things had turned completely upside down, everything had changed for the (once) great hero of Mobius. His azure-blue quills were dull, his body was scarred and his shoes were tattered, and his eyes were red from crying. For the first time, probably in a very long time, Sonic the Hedgehog felt truly weak: he felt hollow inside, unable to move, and very much alone. In one night, he managed to lose everything that made him 'him'. His friends, family, his good name-everything.

_She loved him._ Sonic thought bitterly to himself. The reason he felt so empty and miserable, the reason he became what he was, it was all because he couldn't expect the fact that she had moved on. Out of all the girls he had fallen for, Sonic had never been able to move on when it came to the one girl he had true feelings for: Sally Acorn. It had been nine years since he and Sally had broken up, and yet he could not truly forget her no matter what he did. He made attempts to win her over and nearly succeded, but at the very last minute, it was to no avail. When he thought it couldn't get any worse, she had to actually fall (in love) for the one person he considered a challenge, a rival, and also at times, a friend. _Shadow. Shadow the Hedgehog._

_"Your kidding!" Sonic exclaimed. His emerald eyes were blazing with jealously and his quills were standing on ends. Sally had beckoned Sonic to meet in the palace where they could "talk" as she called it. Apparently, the idea was that they had some unresolved issues to discuss and it was best that they finish it now. When first met, she began to question Sonic's reason for acting strange whenever she and Shadow were together. He countered that with a set of questions of his own: When did she and the 'faker' get so close? Why would she allow herself to even be followed by him? And how come she hasn't been telling people that she and the hedgehog were hanging out? When she didn't answer, it became as clear as day._

_"You actually like him?"_

_"And what if I do?" she retorted sharply._

_Complete silent surrounded them. Sonic looked as if he been slapped in the face (again) and Sally was blushing uncontrollably. She then regained her composuere and just barley managed a whisper. "I meant was, it's none of your business who I like or don't like; besides, why should you care who I spend my free-time with?"_

_"I don't!" I lied. "It's just-your liking a guy who looks exactly like me!"_

_"First off," Sally began. "Shadow is nothing like you; he's arrogant, cocky, and has an anger problem." Sonic nodded his head in agreement, but Sally wasn't finish. "But he doesn't always act that way. He shows signs of sympathy, caring, and has a strong since of justice; he has a good heart, Sonic. He even considers you as a friend."_

_Sonic was shocked at this realization, but tried not to show._

_"Caring? Good heart?" he snorted in disbelief. "Yeah, right."_

_"It's true, Sonic," she argued. "He cares about me and I do too."_

_"If I remember correctly, you two weren't exactly that close when he was assigned to be your bodyguard, or did you forget?"_

_Sally looked taken back at my comment, but I didn't care; I was determined to show Sally that being with Shadow was a huge mistake. When their eyes met, they burned with determination._

_"That was then. This is the now. He's no longer like that-he's different."_

_"Then what about us?" I shouted, the anger getting the best of me._

_"What about-" Sally stopped mid-sentence at what the blue hedgehog meant. Arms returned to her side and her head bent. When their eyes met hers glowed with sympathy and regret._

_"Oh, Sonic," she whispered. "You know that you will always have a special place in my heart-always have, always will, but the problem is that I moved on, and you should to."_

_"But I thought that-"_

_"I thought that too, but..." Sally paused before continuing. "Things happen."_

_"But..."_

_"I don't know how long it will last with me and Shadow, but I want to spend as much time as I can with him. If you still care about me, then I ask of you to let us be." With that, she kissed him on the tip of his nose and left. Leaving him completely alone._

The hedgehog tried to shake it off and move on like he always does, but for some reason he couldn't. The very thought that Sally enjoyed Shadow's company more than his drove him to a point of insanity; the jealousy he felt began to morph into feelings of resent. Whenever he saw the pair, his blood would begin boiling as he thought back to the times he helped the two-now they were throwing away all the times I've been grateful to them. Anger and envy swirled inside the hedgehog's body and he relished every moment of it. He traded in his azure blue fur for navy-color, his trademark grin with a vicious snarl, and finally his eyes became darker and more ravenous. Shadow had decided to make a big change in his life, why shouldn't he; he was done with the whole "good guy" montage, he was done letting everything he loved and worked for get stolen from him, and most importantly, he was done of that prideful, egotistic, fake-hedgehog he considered his rival.

One way or another, it was going to end with one final showdown between former rivals, and the price was high-either Shadow goes, or Sonic.

More tears streaked down his muzzle as he realized, too late, the mistake he made. Sonic knew exactly what he was doing when he challenged Shadow to that duel. He knew what to expect if he lost but still chose to go through with it. When the others tried to reason with them, he cast away their words and continued down his pathway of self-destruction. Blinded by his on wrath and pride, Sonic lost the fight and was forced to leave. Now he cried bitter tears at the thought that he will never be able to see his loved ones again: His mother, father, Manic, Sonia, Tails, Knuckles, Sally, and even-

"Sonic!"

The blue hedgehog looked in the distance to see that someone was running toward him at speed equal to his. The sound of that all-too-familiar voice resonated through Sonic's mind as he wiped away the remaining tears. Surely it couldn't have been her? Despite all the things he done and how much he's changed, she would still come to him? It was complete ludicrous. Still the thought that she would still be by his side gave him solace.

Standing in front of him was the seventeen year old pink hedgehog Sonic had always known and been admired by. Her once long quills that stretched all the way to her back, was tied in a ponytail with the rest of her bangs covering the right side of her eyes. She wore a purple tanktop that stretched all the way down to her stomach and a pair of black shorts-only her go-go boots remained the same. Parts of her arm and leg remained bandaged and she carry two large dufflebags; one pink, the other was navy green.

"Amy..." Sonic whispered. His emerald eyes met her forest green irises and for a long time, Sonic was at a lost of words. The pink hedgehog offered a sympatheic smile and held out a hand for the confused male.

"Need a hand?" she finally said.

"Amy," Sonic spoke while taking Amy's hand. "Wh-what are you doing here?"

"To help you off the ground, of course." she joked.

"No-I mean, why are you here?"

"I decided to come with you."

The hedgehog's mouth gaped in complete shock.

"What!" he exclaimed.

"I'm coming with you." she said in a matter-of-fact tone. Sonic was about to reject, but the pink hedgehog continued to speak. "It would seem lonely to travel by yourself, so I decided to come along on your journey."

The two remained silent for a long time. Finally, Sonic managed to speak. "Do the others know?"

"Nope." Amy responded.

Sonic thought this over before continuing.

"Amy," he began. "Why would you want to come with me?"

The pink hedgehog looked at him with no expressions beings shown, much to the blue one's annoyance.

"Have you forgotten what I just did recently: I just fought against Shadow and lost, I left home with no intention of ever coming back, and now I'm traveling into unknown territories!" His voice had risen a bit, but he didn't care. Sonic continued to scold the pink hedgehog for leaving behind her old life for him.

"Have you also forgotten that you hate me! Remember, two years ago, when I told you that I still have feelings for Sally and I may never have those feelings for you? Remember when you cried and decided to leave so you could better yourself and to get away from me? Remember how you hated me for the past year and not once talked to me-remember? And now that I'm finally suffering because of my own damn ego, you decide to show up and be all supportive? Why would do that after everything I put you through? Why?"

As Sonic was about to make another statement, he felt the warm grasping hug of Amy. She held him tightly across and felt hot tears fall from her face and onto his chest. Sonic remembered that warm feeling after he discovered that Sally had no feelings for him anymore. Amy was there to comfort him, despite all the tension that seemed to surround them. He never asked for her help, and yet she willingly stood by him and became the pillow he would cry on. Sudden disgust flowed through Sonic's mind as he thought back to how he took advantage of the pink hedgehog's feelings for him when he would wallow in his own self loathing toward Shadow and Sally; he didn't deserve anyone as pure and caring as Amy-he deserved no one.

"I never hated you, Sonic." Amy whispered into Sonic's ear. "I always loved you-always haved, always will. You never did hurt me, quite the opposite; you made me stronger. I was a bit upset with you and that was why I stayed away from you-to give you the space you deserved to have, but I never stopped loving you. Even now, when I see you suffer, I feel myself be torn in two. I can't bear to see you suffer like this, and that's why I'm willing to follow you, wherever you go."

When their eyes met, Sonic's heart melted at the sight of Amy's cheerful smile. He wanted to say something-anything to make Amy forgive him for all that he's done to her, but he was silenced by a loving kiss. Feelings he never thought existed surged through him as he thought back to all the times he and Amy had been with each other. The feelings he felt for the pink hedgehog back then were nothing more but love for a friend or aquaintance. The feeling he felt right now for the pink hedgehog was different...was it love?

Sonic then thought back to the time she nearly died so that he could live; as her life began to fade before him, he could still see that familiar spark flash through her eyes. When Sonic saw that spark, he felt anger and rage overflow through him at the thought of hurting those who would dare hurt this angel. He felt for her back and sure enough, the scar was still there-the very mark that could've killed Amy. The blue hedgehog wanted nothing more but to collapse on the dirt floor and beg for Amy's forgivness, but there was no need. As the two hedgehog's lips parted and looked lovingly into each other's eyes, it was clear that Amy had forgiven him.

"Where do you feel like going?" Sonic asked, breaking the silence that engulfed them both.

"Anywhere with you." Amy whispered.

And with that, the two hedgehogs ranaway into the night at sonic speed, hand-in-hand and together.

Back in New Mobotropolis, Sally Acorn sat under the tree where she would grieve in silence. It had already been a month since Sonic had left and many people were still saddened that he had to leave. It was as if their greatest treasure was stolen from them and they had no way of retrieving it; in this case, Sonic was that, their treasure. It was not just Sally who was affected by this saddness, but Shadow was too. Ever since, many mobians have decided to look up to Shadow as their protecter, but some were still bitter toward the black hedgehog, blaming him for the lost of their once great hero-mainly Manic. Word got out that he got into a fight with Shadow and had to go to the hospital because of his injuries. Two days later, he, Sonia, and their mother went back home afterwards.

As time passed, the couple began to grow distant with one another, but Shadow promised Sally that if she ever needed to speak with him, he would wait for her by the tree where they spent their times together. It had been weeks before Sally had decided to go there. When she arrived, no one was there, which made it easier to let go of her restraints and release her tears. She felt weak and useless for not being able to stop Sonic and Shadow's fight, and felt even worse for not being able to bring him back-for the first time, Sally felt like a true failure.

Suddenly, a dark figure behind her.

"I miss him too." Shadow whispered to the distraught chipmunk.

Her eyes were still red from crying as she looked to face him. He cast an understanding nod toward his beloved before continuing.

"I'm sorry."

She shook her head. There was no need for her to be mad at Shadow. Sonic was the one who started it. He had no reason to apologize. Still, it felt good knowing he was as miserable as she was-they could share the pain together. Sally looked plainly into the open lake as the sun began to set. Her heart burned for longing: to see his face, to hear his laugh, and to feel his hug once more. But it was too late for all that. He was gone and she had to move on. Still...

"Do you think he'll come back someday?" Sally asked her boyfriend.

He gazed across the reflecting wave and sat next to his beloved.

"Someday." he said with determination pouring from his voice.

She smiled a bit and nudged closer to the black hedgehog as they stared lovingly at the open water, waiting for the return of their lost friend.

_Until that day comes,_ Sally thought to herself. _Take care, Sonic the Hedgehog._


End file.
